The Wake

The race for top songs of the summer is going to be a heated battle. With mammoth releases set to drop in every genre, it’s hard to tell which albums will make the splash. There are a few certainties though, particularly in terms of what the club and bar DJ’s will be playing to get patrons off their feet and dancing.

Firstly, Dr. Dre’s third full lenth LP, Detox, is scheduled to flood the airwaves this June. He’ll be releasing each of the 12 or 13 tracks as singles. There won’t be a city block safe in the country safe from the earth shaking beats.

One of my all time favorite groups, NERD, will release their long anticipated third album, N3RD, sometime in late Spring. Given Pharrell and Chad’s consistency for boundary pushing, line blurring beats, I’m confident this will album will be responsible for at least a handful of floor fillers. Here’s a link to the first single, and a remix of Chad Hugo’s remix of the Kings of Leon’s, “My Party”

My third pick may be slightly surprising, but I stand by it unwavering anticipation. Madonna’s upcoming album, Hard Candy, will be in stores as of April 29th in the continental United, which will give me a full day in the UK, where it’ll be out on the 28th. Her last album, Confessions on a Dance Floor, was released in 2005. It was true to its title, a retrospective and sultry homage to her early days a queen of the dance track. Her new album features production work from Pharrell, Timbaland, Danja, Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, and JT… this could be insanity.

Here’s the video for her disco stringed first single from Confessions, Hung Up, which is really quite funny.

Snoop Dogg’s lead single off the upcoming release Ego Trippin, was really quite shitty. It sounds a lot like Akon/ Young Jeezy/ who ever’s responsible for that rubbish being passed off Hip Hop in the clubs right now. (see what you think for yourself, it’s called, “Sexual Eruption”) I still think the album might be good, and of course, still love the man himself. Here he is (deservedly) talking shit about Bill O’Reilly on a talk show.

Also set to unleash dance mayhem across the universe are the Avalanches out of Melbourne, Australia. There first album was compiled from over 3,500 vinyl samples. Keep your ears open for the release of there second album set for summer 2008. Here’s a their video for the title track from their last album, Since I Left You.

April 8th will mark another momentous occasion, as it’s not only my 21st birthday, but the release date of both Gnarls Barkley’s new album, and of hometown heroes, Tapes N’ Tapes. If the new Gnarls album, titled “Odd Couple,” has anything remotely close to tracks like “Crazy” and “Smiley Faces” from their debut in ’06, they’ll be back on top in ’08. Likewise for Tapes N’ Tapes. If they can match the thumping intensity of their big track, “Insistor” of their ’06 debut album, The Loon, we’ll be a happy in bunch in Minneapolis; though it’s been rumored they’ll be searching for a slightly harder edged sound.

Another big Minneapolis April release will be Atmosphere’s “When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold.” The duo’s sheer output of quality hip hop since their formation in 1994 has been astonishing. Ant continues to create classic beat after classic beat for multiple artist, on Rhymesayers and otherwise. Slug’s lyrical consistency has been equally impressive, especially given all the EPs, compilations, and collab work he has done. It’s been great to talking with people here in London, as a surprisingly large amount know Atmosphere, and naturally all that do are big supporters.

Also released on this date is Decemberist front man Colin Meloy’s solo album, “Colin Meloy Sings Live!” which should be hilarious, because the man has the vocal capabilities of NBC new anchor Brian Williams. My hatred for Colin Meloy stems not only from his inability to sing, but from a performance I saw of his at Bonaroo music festival, during which he asked the audience to sit down, and I was called out for refusing, yelling for him to leave the stage so I could see The White Stripes. Here’s the video of him asking the crowd do to a bunch of stupid shit during another song of unprecedented irritation, Perfect Crime, at Bonnaroo in 100 degree heat.

Other big releases set for spring and summer 2008 are Murs, Franz Ferdinand, Tokyo Police Club, Coldplay, Dr. Dog, The Kills, Adam Greene, Spoon, Portishead, Supergrass, Islands, Elbow, The Roots, My Morning Jacket, and Ambulence LTD.